In 2014, flint, michigan, was a cashstrapped city that had been built up, then abandoned by general motors. Flint collectible michigan postcards for sale ebay. In 1997, after general motors shuttered a massive complex of factories in the gritty industrial city of flint, michigan, signs were placed around the empty facility reading, demolition means progress, suggesting that the struggling metropolis could not move forward to greatness until the old plants met the wrecking ball. Before its faucets ran brown, before its residents were poisoned by lead, before it was murdertown usa, flint, michigan was vehicle city. Durant, a carriage manufacturer of flint, michigan. General motors, american corporation that was the worlds largest motorvehicle manufacturer for much of the 20th and early 21st centuries. He was the worlds largest cart maker back in flint mi. Sloan museum which displays carriages and antique autos.
General motors corp, faced with dwindling demand for large cars as more americans switch to sport utility and other type vehicles, says it will close its. The general motors body plant in flint, michigan was usually a thankless place, filled with loud sounds and the feverish, dangerous work of turning metal into auto bodies. Opinion the general motors century the new york times. On june 29 general motors closed the doors of its buick city complex in flint, michigan, its last operating assembly plant in the city. Book on flint water crisis to be featured at fall luncheon. The number of cases in genesee county, flints home, has gone from six to a year to 87 from june 2014 to november 2015, roughly the same time flint began using water from the flint river. However, according to the global automotive sales, gm is ranked second based on annual sales. Other postcards show how flint became a leader in the horseless carriage industry, and then the birthplace of general motors.
His earliest writings were for flint central high school publications the tribal times and the arrow head. For six weeks in 1937, workers at general motors flint, michigan, plant refused. Now the images are seen again, sharing some of the interesting history of flint, michigan. I decided, instead, to turn my focus on general motors in flint, a sizable topic of itself. David buicks marvelous motor car, the first biography of the founder of the. This page primarily lists records kept at the city level. As part of a plan to save money, government officials decided that flint would temporarily switch its water supply from lake based on original reporting by a pulitzer prize finalist and an industry veteran, the first book for young. Flint like detroit was victimized by the wave of industrial restructuring that was characteristic of the midtolate 1980s. Once called the strike heard round the world, 1 the first major labor dispute in the u. The following books are good places to start researching gm. Tim was born in flint, michigan on december 10, 1951. Flint is where gm was born more than 100 years ago. Durant and josiah dallas dort, and purchased the original durantdort factory built in 1880 as a woolen mill on water street in may 20 and the durantdort office, a national historic landmark across the street, as well. Willie durant and how he, with wonderful imagination, put.
Over the past several decades, general motors plants in genesee county. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. General motors corporation, also known as gm or gmc, is the world s second largest car manufacturer based on annual sales. Flint, michigan and the fate of the american metropolis, the problem began long before that. In general motors heyday, chevrolet and buick were there, of course, but flint where gm was founded in 1908 also had other lesserknown gm plants that included ac spark plug, fisher body and ternstedt, which employed my father for 40 years. General motors history general motors began essentially as a local flint business. Kettering university founded 1919 as the flint institute of technology, later the general motors institute, mott community college founded as flint community junior college, 1923, and the university of michiganflint 1956 are located in the city.
In 1908, durant founded general motors, with headquarters in flint, but later moved to detroit in the mid1920s. Creator of general motors and millions of other books are. Its success, in making the united auto workers the bargaining agent for the employees of general motors corporation, has been discussed in numerous studies of the labor wars of the 1930s and inspired several books on the strike itself. Inside a broken police department in flint, michigan the. In 1910, durant lost control of the company to a bankers trust as a result. Flint is where the american automaker general motors was founded in 1908. The story of general motors through twentyfive years, 19081933 by arthur pound. Another major issue involving a majority african american populated city in michigan is the poisoning of the water system in flint which was under emergency management in 2014. In general motors heyday, chevrolet and buick were there, of course, but flint where gm was founded in 1908 also had other lesserknown gm. Besides the uncommon sense, he also contributed articles for your magazine, the flint journal and downtown flint revival magazine. During buick citys heyday, 29,400 employees worked on the 235 acre site. Much more than a trite corporate slogan, the phrase encapsulates. His last fortune had evaporated in the depression of the 1930s, and he had been an invalid for several years.
Whats good for general motors killed flint, michigan. Hell, for years, every single car carrying the buick name was made right here in flint, michigan. General motors corporation gm, which ultimately became the worlds largest automotive firm and the largest privately owned manufacturing enterprise in the world, was founded in 1908 by william c. See more ideas about michigan, flint michigan and places. There are postcards from the time when the city had two passenger train stations a few blocks apart, and images of the first steel arches over saginaw. A 1970 graduate of flint southwestern high school, tim retired from general motors after 30 years. Everyone in flint has a story about general motors. Flint went broke and could no longer afford its police. General motors closes buick city complex in flint, michigan. While the action takes place at a general motors plant in flint, hampers story, both in and out of the factory, says a lot about life in southeast michigan. Even in cities like flint, where it has been in retreat for decades, gms shadow. The history of general motors gm, one of the worlds largest car and truck manufacturers, dates to more than a century and involves a vast scope of industrial activity around the world, mostly focused on motorized transportation and the engineering and manufacturing that make it possible. List of former automotive manufacturing plants wikipedia. It rose a gm company town, home to scores of car plants in the area over the decades.
Flint was once a place of promise, the birth town of general motors, the u. The book examines the history of flint and the events and decisions that led to many of the citys problems including unemployment, depopulation, crime, racial segregation, and inequality, among others. History of general motors the renaissance center in detroit, michigan, is general motors world headquarters. Apply to assistant, customer service representative, seasonal associate and more. General motors traces its roots to the durantdort carriage company of flint named after william c. University of michiganflint library genesee historical. Flint genealogy in genesee county, mi usa 1,060,369 michigan 24,275 genesee county 669 flint 195. Additional records are listed on the county and state pages. Founded in 1908 as a holding company in flint, michigan, as of 2012 it employs approximately 209,000. Foundation fellowship and the author of several books on medieval art history.
Buick factory history flint, michigan factory history. Books about the past, present, and future of american cities if youre looking for the heart, humor, and, at times, horror of flint, michigan and cities like it all over the country look no further than these five nonfiction books. The general motors flint renaissance center was based in detroit, michigan, this was the global headquarter of the famous motor vehicle manufacturers. Books on flint history the following books are good general histories of genesee county and flint from its early years to the modern era. The company will take over responsibility for maintenance from the flint historical foundation. Originally intended as a holding company for the buick car company, within two years durant brought some of the biggest names in the automotive industry, including oldsmobile, cadillac, oakland later known as pontiac and the predecessors of gmc truck. A century later, car companies including buick, general motors and chevrolet called flint home, making it a hub for american factories and manufacturing and earning it the nickname, the vehicle. There are images of many of the citys churches, schools, stores, theaters, and amusement parks, and even major events like fires and floods. A photocopied typescript history of flint and gm, which has much more detail.
This is flint, michigan, in all its pain and all its glory. Gary is the author of remembering flint, michigan, published by the history press. Some were headed for home and some for the corner bar. Many of the postcards that appear in this book were mailed more than 60 or 70 years ago, often bearing simple messages between friends and family members. Flint, michigan is a city which previously relied on its auto industry, and still does to an extent. When discussing the history of the city of flint, michigan, the importance of general motors cannot be overstated. Founded in 1908, in flint, michigan, gm employs approximately 284,000 people around the world. But according to a new book by andrew highsmith, demolition means progress. Links to early automotive history, state of michigan official website. A new edition of the classic book on the flamboyant genius who helped lead. Remembering when gm employed half of flint, michigan. Over time unions have changed conditions for workers. Its major products include automobiles and trucks, automotive components, and engines.
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